Boston vs Worcester
Boston, Massachusetts versus Worcester, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Boston and Worcester score about the same overall (44 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Boston | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $63k |
| Cost of Living | $82k | $58k |
| Home Value | $685k | $306k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.60% | 1.43% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.66% | 17.99% |
| Unemployment | 6.6% | 6.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.4 in | 48.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2 in | 72.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 91 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 8.9 | 33.1 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2433/100k | 1622/100k |
| Property Crime | 1825/100k | 1668/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 665,945 | 204,191 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 34.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.68 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+64 | D+18 |
| White (%) | 44.2% | 51.8% |
| Black (%) | 21.0% | 11.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 19.6% | 24.6% |
| Asian (%) | 9.6% | 6.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.7% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 14.7/20 | 15.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 4 mi | 41 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.6% | 87.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.07 | 17.78 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Boston or Worcester more affordable?
- Worcester has the lower cost of living: its index is $58k, compared with Boston's $82k and Worcester's $58k. Median rent is $2k in Boston versus $1k in Worcester.
- Is Boston or Worcester safer?
- Worcester has the lower violent crime rate. Boston reports 2433/100k and Worcester reports 1622/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Boston or Worcester?
- The median home value is $685k in Boston and $306k in Worcester, so homes are more affordable in Worcester.